The key to making money in the trades is to become a journeyman.

Jul 9, 2024
7:42:42pm

gopman Troublemaker

Otherwise you're stuck making the same wage.

There are guys who become journeyman & start their own business & are doing well but there are a ton of guys stuck as apprentices not making much & wearing out their bodies.

I've met both.

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gopman

Bio page: gopman
Joined: Feb 15, 2006
Last login: Oct 24, 2024
Total posts: 3,811 (17 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

What would you say is the best job for someone that might not find success going

Stucoug83

Jul 9, 6:47pm

Trade school. Electrician, plumber, etc. Better than many college degrees.

Pollster

Jul 9, 6:48pm

Mechanics are doing very well right now too

CSoul

Jul 9, 6:50pm

Talk about jobs that will pay great. There’s money in these

SBB

Jul 9, 6:58pm

HVAC technician

CougaReb

Jul 9, 7:02pm

This

crimedog

Jul 9, 7:18pm

Dudes are all physically wrecked by 45

IGlowInTheDark

Jul 9, 7:21pm

This is why he should buy the business from a retiring boomer.

YOHONOMOTO

Jul 9, 7:44pm

HVAC

lightmann

Jul 9, 7:27pm

Electricians working for Data Center construction. I am in the middle of it in

bad84cougar

Jul 10, 5:57pm

Get into a trade, start your own company in 5 years.

GfB

Jul 9, 6:48pm

This is exactly what I would do in those circumstances.

RootieBoy

Jul 9, 6:50pm

Exactly. Trades make good money but make a killing when they run their own shop.

DwigtA2RM

Jul 9, 10:29pm

This is what my brother did. Started in construction doing flooring but

Cougphysio

Jul 10, 1:04pm

Availability bias is a problem here, though. Most people who go into the trades

russkiejedi

Jul 10, 6:42pm

I agree. My brother did not land where he did on accident. He had major

Cougphysio

Jul 10, 10:17pm

Military

Supercoug

Jul 9, 6:49pm

If he is thinking about going to college in the future this is a good option.

kcca

Jul 9, 7:23pm

Yep, I had a friend kind of like the OP son

NaturalNeuralNet

Jul 9, 7:33pm

In Utah look at the M-tech programs. Lots of opportunities there.

BYUtka

Jul 9, 6:49pm

Robot Tech...6 months to a year and he's making $87k or more... He'd get lots of

Don_Juan_El_Guapo

Jul 9, 6:52pm

What types of programs are available for this?

Wizbang

Jul 9, 7:46pm

Welding or machining good $ lots of work

bbhammer

Jul 9, 6:50pm

Sales.

JohnnyComeLately

Jul 9, 6:53pm

IMO sales jobs that don’t require education aren’t typically good jobs. Its

SBB

Jul 9, 6:59pm

I know a guy making over a million per year in sales. He has no college degree

Belboz

Jul 9, 7:02pm

I know plenty of guys making well over 6 figures in sales with no degrees.

JohnnyComeLately

Jul 9, 7:04pm

Disagree completely

JoeExotic

Jul 9, 7:12pm

It's been tough to get started in tech sales over the last few years.

DescdentCoug

Jul 10, 11:04am

The economy for tech sales has been a bit rough last couple years

JoeExotic

Jul 10, 12:16pm

This is as wrong a statement gets. The gifted can make millions in sales as HS dropouts. But for the OP, electrician.

roseyscenario

Jul 9, 9:11pm

There are plenty of exceptions- generally for most it’s not great

SBB

Jul 10, 8:40am

I have worked for major tech companies

JoeExotic

Jul 10, 9:00am

You’re right- everyone should go into sales- these jobs are readily available.

SBB

Jul 10, 9:03am

That is definitely not what I am saying.

JoeExotic

Jul 10, 12:13pm

That’s what I was saying as well. But saying “typically” apparently wasn’t good

SBB

Jul 10, 2:17pm

I disagree with your use of typically as it relates to degree or no degree

JoeExotic

Jul 10, 5:35pm

Instagram influencer, professional gamer, streamer, actor. The possibilities

Nikomedes

Jul 9, 6:53pm

Utah Dept of Corrections starting pay is around $29 per hour right now.

Manti

Jul 9, 6:53pm

And in 10 years the pay will be what? 39 an hour?

Chester Copperpot

Jul 9, 6:57pm

For someone that doesn't want to get an education, $40 per hour and a 25 year

Manti

Jul 9, 7:02pm

Easy way to hack this that I saw someone do once.

rad dawg

Jul 9, 7:04pm

Not corrections, but I know pay is getting more competitive for Law enforcement

BE-WHY-YOU

Jul 10, 7:15am

Trades - electrician, skilled welding, etc

kccougar

Jul 9, 6:53pm

Trade school or apprenticeship. Here is my list off the top of my head:

rad dawg

Jul 9, 6:57pm

College isn’t the only source to good employment. Ac guys can

bald man

Jul 9, 7:00pm

Air traffic control has some really great benefits and pay

Sinbad the Sailor

Jul 9, 7:00pm

But literally the most stressful job in the country.

Manti

Jul 9, 7:04pm

Completely depends on where you’re working. But yes if you’re at a huge airport

Sinbad the Sailor

Jul 9, 7:27pm

School part time get associates

BYU Grounds

Jul 9, 7:01pm

Trade school with goal of owning their own business as quickly as possible

cougfanz

Jul 9, 7:04pm

Is anyone here actually a mechanic, electrician, or plumber?

Charles Darwin

Jul 9, 7:06pm

CB has a warped sense of how few of them are actually making a ton of money…

IGlowInTheDark

Jul 9, 7:24pm

The key to making money in the trades is to become a journeyman.

gopman

Jul 9, 7:42pm

Journeymen do fine. But they're not knocking it out of the park. I see a lot of sub-$100k journeymen.

WDaddy

Jul 10, 4:27pm

I should add the guys who make bank are willing to travel all over

gopman

Jul 9, 7:56pm

This. My step brother is working towards a journeyman electrician.. says many

Lefty24

Jul 10, 1:51pm

Underwater welding. Incredibly dangerous & financially lucrative.

gopman

Jul 10, 3:43pm

$200k-$300k, LOL. Tell him to look at someone's actual paycheck.

WDaddy

Jul 10, 4:24pm

Not sure where you’re going with that. If you disagree with what they make, you

Lefty24

Jul 10, 8:07pm

No but I know a lot of them and use a lot of them.

YOHONOMOTO

Jul 9, 7:49pm

So you have dealt primarily with the owners or managers

Charles Darwin

Jul 9, 8:05pm

You don’t need a college background but you need to know how to self teach,

YOHONOMOTO

Jul 9, 8:37pm

There are big startup costs for a mechanic to start his own shop

Charles Darwin

Jul 9, 8:51pm

To be honest, if you're not cut out to succeed in college as OP mentioned

CommodoreCoug

Jul 10, 7:23am

I know tons of ppl who fit that mold and had no interest in college.

YOHONOMOTO

Jul 10, 8:07am

Had a Bishop who drove semis for UPS. Early morning, but a local regular route

Saregreat

Jul 9, 7:06pm

CBP

CougarMandias

Jul 9, 7:09pm

Sales

grosven

Jul 9, 7:14pm

Sales. Those guys make more than all my lawyer and doctor friends.

valleus

Jul 9, 8:02pm

Pest control business. Get a job as a tech, learn the business, be friendly to

BYUFBDAD

Jul 9, 8:08pm

I’ve said it before around here, so I’ll just link a post with my thoughts on

stenso

Jul 9, 8:35pm

Yeah this is accurate. Need to have the right personality and skills.

YOHONOMOTO

Jul 9, 8:37pm

That’s the best thing about it. If you can actually communicate you’re light

cougfanz

Jul 9, 9:28pm

Can't read it. Am I blocked?

sah22

Jul 9, 8:42pm

You also have to take into account that the many that go into it

cougfanz

Jul 9, 9:26pm

CNA

NYC and Japan

Jul 10, 7:53am

IMO, college is about learning, but its primary value in employment is to

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